Music-holder



No. 617,588, Patented lan. I0, |899..

F'. C. LUETHI. MUSIC HOLDER. (Application filed Nov. 30,*1897.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRICK C. LUETI-II, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MUSIC-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,588, dated January 10, 1899.

Application tiled November 30, 1897. Serial No. 660,250. (No model.)

To atl whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIOK C. LUETHI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Music- Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to music-holders, its object being to provide a waterproof holder or case of simple construction and having transparent faces, said case being adapted to receive and hold the leaves of vmusic generally used by band-musicians in such manner that the notes may be 4clearly seen through the transparent faces. Bandmusicians during the prevalence of wind or rain are frequently unable to use the leaves of music, as they become wet or are liable to be blown away; but by the use of my invention these difficulties are entirely overcome, since the holder or case will eifectually protect the music against the effects of either wind or rain.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists of the several details of oonstruction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of my improved music-holder. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal transverse section. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the sliding support for the music-leaves removed from the holder. Fig. 4t is an edge view of the holder, showing the sliding support partially withdrawn and in position to permit the insertion or removal of the music-leaves.

Similar reference-n umerals indicate similar parts in the several figures.

The holder or case consists of a suitable rectangularvframe of sheet metal, hard rubber, or other suitable material having the requisite qualities of strength and lightness for the purpose,in which frame are secured two sheets of transparent material, and one end of the case is open to permit the removal and insertion of the music-leaves. As shown in the drawings, three sides of the frame are formed integrally of a strip of sheet metal having its edges bent at a right angle in the same direction to form parallel flanges l, and when so formed the strip is bent at suitable points to form the parallel cud walls 2 and the top wall 3 of the frame, the flanges l being suitably cut at the points of bending to prevent them .from buckling and to give the corners a neat finish, as will be readily understood by any one familiar with sheet-metal working. Iustead of making the top and end walls of a continuous strip of metal they may each be formed separately and connected together in any suitable manner.

4 indicates a strip of metal bent to the same form as the strip forming the top and end wall-s and is adapted to fit in between the flanges l of said walls, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The sheets of transparent material which form the faces of the holder are indicated by 5 and are preferably eelluloid, although any other suitable transparent waterproof material may be used. The edges on three sides of the sheets of transparent material are clamped between the end and top walls of the frame and the strip 4, as shown in` Fig. 2. The lower edges of the sheets 5 are clamped between strips of metal 6, which are folded upon themselves and are connected at their ends to the ends of the reh spective flanges l of the end walls 2 in any suitable manner. These strips 6 serve, therefore, to secure. the lower edges of the sheets of transparent material and also to connect the lower ends of the end walls 2 of the frame together, and the space between them will form an opening through which access may be had to the interior of the case or holder'to permit the removal or insertion of thevleaves of music. Instead of the metal strip 4: it is obvious that wooden strips could be inserted between the flanges l to hold the edges of th transparent'sheets in position.

The sliding support for the music-leaves consists of an open rectangular frame of such size as to fit snugly within the case or holder and to slide therein. It is made in two seetions, (indicated by 7 and 8,) which sections are hinged together, as indicated at 9. The lower section 7 is smaller than the upper section 8, and in the operation of the device the support is intended to be withdrawn from the case until the lower section 7 is exterior thereof, when it can be turned on the hinges at an angle to the case or holder to be out of the way to permit the music-leaves to be inserted or removed, as may be desired. vThe lower IOO wall l0 of the sliding support will close the space between the strips (5. The leaves of music are indicated by 11.

It will be seen that the function of the opensided slide is to facilit-ate the introduction and removal of the music-sheets, and the swinging leaf or gate, with which said slide is provided, serves to facilitate the removal of the sheets, either separately or together, from the slide. It is obvious that the edgewise introduction of Sheetmusic into a flat transparent-walled frame or case could hardly be accomplished without rubbing and crushing the same and thereby obliterating to a certain extent the printed or Written characters on the surfaces of the sheets, whereas by the use of the open-sided slide the only operation necessary in order to change the exposed sheet is to partly withdraw the slide, drop the leaf or gate, and make the desired change in the sheets without wholly withdrawing any but the one which is to be exposed. This operation 'is possible from the fact that when the slide is partly exposed and the leaf or gate thereof is dropped out of the plane of the sheets the edges of the latter are free to be passed th rough the n gers in order to select the one which is to be exposed. Vhen this one has been found, it is simply Withdrawn wholly and placed upon the top of the pile of sheets for subsequent exposure through the transparent wall after the slide has been returned to its normal position. Furthermore, it will be seen that by having both walls of the frame or case constructed of transparent material the faces of two different compositions may be exposed to adapt the frame to be reversed to bring either of the compositions into the view of the performer. In other words,the case constructed as above described is reversible and is adapted for the operative exposure of a plurality of compositions at different sides thereof.

The slide consists of a skeleton frame, of which the edge walls are formed by crosssectionally flat bars,while the sides are wholly open. The open sides of the slide are closed, when the latter is in the casing, by the opposite parallel walls of the casing, one at least of said parallel Walls being transparent.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have produced an exceedingly simple `and efcient device, by means of which the leaves of music will be thoroughly protected from the effects of wind or rain, but which permits the musician to see the notes clearly, and which also will serve as a convenient case to carry the music that may be required for the occasion without necessitating the use of an additional case.

The end and top walls of the frame as well as the strips 6 may be ornamented in any suitable manner, if preferred, and many other slight changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. A portable music-holder having a parallel-walled casing, open at one edge, one of the parallel walls being transparent, and a slide fitted in the casing, and consisting ofa skeleton frame, of which the sides are closed by the walls of the casing, said slide being adapted for extension through the open edge of the casing, substantially as specified.

2. In a music-holder, the combination with a frame having an open end, and spaced sheets of transparent material supported in said frame, of a music-leaf support slidabl y supported in said frame between the transparent sheets, said support consisting of an open rectangular frame made in two sections hinged together, one of said sections being adapted to be moved out through the said open end andfolded at a right angle to the holder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a musicholder, a frame having its top and end walls formed from a continuous strip of sheet metalhaving its edges bent at a right anglein the same direction to form parallel anges, combined with two sheets of transparent material respectively seated against the opposing anges of the said walls, a securing-strip 4 fitted between the edges of said sheets and the opposing flanges to clamp the sheets in position, folded metal strips fitted on the lower edges of said sheets and secured at their ends to the ends of the ian ges on the end walls of the frame, and a musicleaf support slidably supported between the flanges of the end walls and movable in and out through the space between the said folded strips, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

FREDRICK C. LUETIII.

Witnesses:

F. I-I. KLEEKAMP, SIMON Fanrs'romvn.

IOO 

